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"Video Nasties"-Any UK members recollections?
My wife and I watched a documentary VIDEO NASTIES (2010) that focused on the attempts to regulate gruesome late 70's/early 80's slasher films (DRILLER KILLER, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, ZOMBIE, CANNIBAL FEROX, NIGHTMARE IN A DAMAGED BRAIN, etc) in Great Britain and Wales mostly. Lots of film clips, DAILY MAIL excerpts and footage/interviews with Mary Whitehouse, Geoffrey Robertson PC, Sir Graham Bright and Martin Barker among others.
It seemed the main objective was to prevent young children from seeing the films, but it appeared an excessive amount of energy was spent and a lot of heavy handed force (busting and jailing a video shop owner, for example) was used. While I agree a six year old should not watch some of the films listed, it seems that making the films forbidden fruit made them more enticing.
The whole thing reminded me a lot of when the PMRC started their attempt to place stickers on albums to prevent young people from listening, but probably helped those bands get more publicity. Also, both the US and UK had real ultra conservative Government at the time with both Reagan and Thatcher in office.
Do any of you remember these times? Would be interesting to hear what you have to say.
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